With the Asia Cup 2025 all set to kick off, India’s biggest stars, including Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and others, will don the Team India jersey with ‘India’ to appear bigger and brighter.
This is because Team India is set to compete in the tournament without a lead sponsor, reported Hindustan Times.
The development comes after fantasy sports platform Dream11 terminated its contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in August and cited government regulations that have disrupted its core business model.
It is not the first time Indian players would hit the ground donning India’s jersey without a title sponsor, since the ICC does not allow teams to use title sponsors during world events.
Dream11’s premature exit
Fantasy sports platform Dream11’s premature exit as team India’s title sponsor is followed by the Indian government’s latest legislation – the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming bill – that outlaws real-money gaming.
Dream11 invoked an exit clause in its agreement with the BCCI to formally withdraw. Earlier in 2023, Dream11 signed an approximately $44 million ( ₹358 crore) sponsorship deal that was originally set to run until 2026.
New sponsorship deal
In the meantime, the BCCI has moved swiftly to fill the vacant title sponsorship by initiating a fresh round of bidding.
On Tuesday, BCCI released an “Invitation to Tender” (ITT), calling for expressions of interest (EOIs) for the team’s lead sponsorship rights. According to the document, interested companies can purchase the ITT until September 12, with final bids due by September 16.
However, with the Asia Cup beginning on September 9, the Indian team will likely begin their campaign without any sponsor branding on their kits. In 2019, Oppo pulled out mid-contract, prompting the board to rope in ed-tech firm Byju’s, which eventually gave way to Dream11, added HT.
In the ITT, the BCCI has outlined strict eligibility criteria, barring firms associated with alcohol, gambling or betting services, cryptocurrency, online money gaming, tobacco products, or any offerings deemed offensive to public morals-such as pornography – from submitting bids.
Asia Cup 2025
The Indian men’s cricket team is scheduled to depart for the United Arab Emirates on September 4. India has been grouped in Group A alongside Pakistan, UAE and Oman.
India will play their first match against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai, followed by a high-stakes clash against Pakistan on September 14 at the same venue.
Their final group-stage fixture is set against Oman in Abu Dhabi on September 19.
Group B features Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. The top two teams from each group will move on to the Super Four stage, which will determine the finalists for the showdown on September 28.